Yellow kisses
by Olbergl
Summary: "Everybody will wear a mask. So you can't identify anybody, and still have your fling. A party without consequences." If Katie would never have gone to this party, she would have had an relaxed evening in the Common room. Instead had lurked around Hogwarts, had kissed a snake and had gotten into a lot of trouble.


1: Crimson Feathers

"Oh, come on Katie, just this once!" Angelina looked pleading at her, but Katie shook her head vehemently.

"No, you _kno__w_ I don't like these kind of things. You can go, but please just let me stay here and finish my Charms homework. If I haven't got that essay done by Monday, Flitwick will do more than just shorten me by a wands lenght." Sighing, Katie ran her fingers through her hair and walked to the desk. The book, which lay on it, was glaring at her and she grimaced. Maybe instead of doing homework, she could go to the Common room an read a bit, that did sound a lot better.

But she didn't count on Alicia being so stubborn. After barely two steps a hand closed around her wrist and jerked her onto the ruby canopy bed. Katie's eyes widened for a second, but then she got turned onto her belly and her face got pressed into the blanket. "Guys," she grumbled and tried to free herself, but immediately her hands were clutched in a hard grip on her back.

"So Catherine, now explain to us, again, what you propose to do this evening?" Alicia asked and Katie could hear the grin in her voice. Alicia really knew what enraged her. Since she was three, everybody had to call her Katie. She hated her real name, Catherine, but Alicia loved to tease her with it.

"I'm going to write my essay tonight, and maybe I'll play some chess. Honestly, I'm tired! Just go to the party and and you can tell me tomorrow about all the excesses and new rumors," she murmured into the blanket. After a little struggle she freed her face from the blanket, panting.

Angelina clucked her tongue. "You can forget about that real quick. When was the last time you went to a party with us?" Before Katie even had the chance to think about an answer, Angelina continued. "Exactly, _eons _ago. By Merlin's dirty pants, you've got to get out of here! And this time it isn't something normal, we party a little... different." With the last word, Alicia started to giggle and Katie wrenched her hands free and sat up. Angelina was leaning onto the closet, a far away grin on her face and one eyebrow raised.

Katie shook her head.

"Oh come on, please," Alicia pouted, leaning in Katie's direction. "Just this time. You'll like it, promise!" Her big brown eyes stared at the blonde.

Angelina pushed off the closet and walked to the site of the bed. "Please. It's been a long time since the three of us put the fear of Merlin into Hogwarts. Can't have the snakes think they don't need to be afraid of us anymore.", she cocked her head sidewards and winked at her.

With an angry snort Katie fell backwards on the bed. "Why... Why do I always allow you to persuade me?" Before she knew what was happening, Alicia pounced on her with a loud screech. Even Angelina started to cheer and launched herself next to them on the bed, which cracked threateningly, though none of them appeared to hear. Suddenly Alicia started to tickle Katie and Katie couldn't help giggling uncontrollably.

After what felt like an eternity - Katie couldn't say just how much time had elapsed - they ceased the tickle-fight. Still grinning they looked one another, when Angelina abruptly jumped to her feet and clapped her hands together loudly. "Alright ladies, that was enough fun. We have plenty of work and not enough time to do it!" She gave Alicia a meaningful look, who smiled knowingly and turned to Katie.

"Well... We've already told you, that things will be a little bit different tonight," Alicia started to explain and Katie nodded, although confused. "Surely you remember Cho's experience with Montague, don't you? Everybody was gossiping..."

"Yes," Katie mumbled, still wary, and shifted restlessly on her bed. If they had a plan, it could only be something murderous.

Alicia grinned. "Therefore we all had the idea, to avoid things like that from now on."

Katie burst out laughing. "And how do you want to do that? Swear off snogging and anything more forbidden, or what? Alicia, you wouldn't be the only one that would see it as punishment."

Alicia pushed her eyebrows together, looking offended as she crossed her arms. However, everybody in the room and certainly half of Hogwarts knew that Katie was right. Alicia liked to have fun, as she called it herself.

"No," said Angelina and bit her lip, to stop herself laughing. She rose and hastened to the closet. "The whole grade cooked up something different." And with those words, she turned around again and threw something black straight into Katie's lap. Alicia's bad mood wore off abruptly and, giggling, she leaped up and ran into the bathroom with Angelina in tow.

Katie stared at the mask, which still lay in her lap.

It was a simple black half-mask, the only visible adornment were a few crimson feathers flaring out at the edge. If she would wear it, she'd just obscure her eyes and nose. "What do you want me to do with this?" Katie asked, curiously examining it in the faint light of the bedside lamp.

Sighing, Angelina walked to the bathroom door and stretched her head out. "What do you think? We give them to the first-graders and then leave them to the centaurs in the forest," she snorted and Katie grimaced.

"_Everybody_ will wear a mask," Alicia shouted from the lavatory. "So you can't identify anybody, and still have your fling. A party without consequences."

Katie nodded slowly. Without consequences... Admittedly, it had never been her purpose to do something tonight that would entail consequences, but just in case… well, she could see the merit in the idea.

With a contented smile she stood up and walked to the others. At the moment Alicia conjured herself big, elegantly curved curls and Angelina seemed to pore over her reflection in the mirror. Katie just leaned against the doorframe and watched both of them. They were quite an interesting trio, she had to admit that.

On the one hand there was Alicia, the glibbest of all of them. It just wasn't her way to mince her words and when there were some conflicts - preferentially with the snakes - she saw no problem in settling it with fists and curses. Angelina resembled her, although not as outgoing. Furthermore she was the one who paid attention in class the most.

Katie herself was very different. Often she was called a dreamer, who rather restrained herself. Maybe it was because she was the youngest one, but in the end she really didn't know. Also there –

"Katie?" Alicia startled her out of her reverie. "Did you get hit with a sticking-curse or why are you standing there?" Alicia starred at her wondering, with her softly falling curls.

Katie shrugged once and a smiling Angelina ran to her. "Well, have you already thought about what you going to wear?" she asked and put her arm around Katie. Without recognizing her contradiction, Angelina pulled her to the closet.

The air was cold in the corridors and Katie let out a surprised gasp. It was dark and you could only hear the rattling of high heels. While the three of them scurried through the aisles, Katie plucked nervously at her dress. It was short, according to her _too_ short, but Alicia wouldn't let her go with different one - therefore she was now dressed in this barely covering anything piece of cloth.

Fortunately they didn't run into any of the patrolling teachers on their way. Dark shadows had set in the corridors and the moonlight was shinning through a few windows. It made Katie's skin crawl and she was relieved when Angelina abruptly stopped in front of her. A stony door grew out of the wall, it was obvious where they were. The fabled Room of Requirement.

Alicia placed herself in front of Katie and pulled her mask over her face. The little golden, embroidered strings gleamed in the smooth silver light of the moon. An abrupt, frantic thought raced through Katie's mind – was this really a good idea? But before she could give the idea any serious consideration, Angelina positioned herself behind Katie and pulled the crimson mask over her face. Pleased, Angelina attached her own and then walked towards the door.

Once again Alicia took a deep, calming breath and then smirked mischiviously at Katie. You could see the excited glint in her eyes and Katie knew, that Alicia would make use of this anonymity. She rolled her eyes, even as anticipation creeped over her. No sound was heard from inside, but as they opened the door, slipped in, and closed it again, they felt as if they'd steped into another world.

There was no real light, just a flickering blaze, which swept across the crowd. The music was thunderous and the only thing Katie could see, were people. Faces hidden behind masks. More bodies than Katie could count, gathered like a swarm, constantly in movement. With a giddy but also almost terrified smile, she wanted to turn around to Alicia, but when she looked for her, Alicia was gone. And Angelina was out of her sight as well.

Katie stood alone at the edge of the room and peered through the crowd. There was nobody she recognized at a first glance. Everybody in disguise. An evening without consequences.


End file.
